Site Navigation Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia     Interstate 695 / Southeast Freeway East-west Interstate 695 is the hidden Interstate number for the Southeast Freeway. Interstate 695/Southeast Freeway connects Interstate 395 south of the capital complex with the Pennsylvania Avenue interchange. Midway between these two points is the split between Interstate 695 east and Interstate 295 south. Interstate 695 was proposed to be extended from the Pennsylvania Avenue interchange northeast to U.S. 50/New York Avenue on the west bank of the Anacostia River. From there, Interstate 695 would flow into the current District of Columbia 295/U.S. 50 interchange and come to its end (even though neither District of Columbia 295 nor U.S. 50 are Interstates). The Barney Circle Freeway is listed in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Route Log as part of Interstate 295 and shown in early Washington freeway plans as Interstate 295, but more recent plans referred to it as Interstate 695. Either way, the Barney Circle Freeway extension was denied and canceled due to community opposition; therefore, Interstate 695 acts more like a stub freeway than a through freeway. Interstate 695 - east The only three exits on short Interstate 695 east are the 6th Street S.E./Navy Yard exit; Junction Interstate 295 south to Anacostia Freeway and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue; and Pennsylvania Avenue east to District of Columbia 295. These exits are spaced within a mile and a quarter. Photo taken 06/02/03. Eastbound Interstate 695/Southeast Freeway at 6th Street S.E./Navy Yard. Photo taken 06/02/03. The next exit along eastbound Interstate 695/Southeast Freeway is the junction with Interstate 295 south. Photo taken 06/01/04. Eastbound Interstate 695 at junction Interstate 295 south to the Anacostia Freeway. Interstate 295 south follows the east bank of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers before ending at the Capital Beltway (Interstate 95/495) just east of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. This interchange marks the northern terminus of Interstate 295. Photo taken 06/01/04. View of the Interstate 295 south off-ramp from eastbound Interstate 695. Photo taken 06/01/04. After passing the off ramp from eastbound Interstate 695 to southbound Interstate 295, the freeway continues for another 0.75 mile until it reaches Pennsylvania Avenue, which provides access to northbound District of Columbia 295. Note the interchange complex for Interstate 295 in the distance. Photo taken 06/02/03. This odd sign along eastbound warns of the impending end of the Interstate 695 freeway. Despite what the arrows on these signs might infer, all traffic must exit onto the Pennsylvania Avenue exit. "Do Not Enter" signs are present at the gore point for the exit; this ramp is an active ramp that acts as one of the primary routes into Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (home of the Washington Redskins) as well as provide emergency access to a nearby hospital. (Thanks to Paul Rizzo, 09/02/04, for the additional information.) Photo taken 06/02/03. Unsigned eastbound Interstate 695/Southeast Freeway ends; all traffic is directed to the Pennsylvania Avenue exit. Photo taken 06/02/03. View of the unused underpass that would have carried Interstate 695 onto the proposed but now canceled Barney Circle Freeway. All traffic must exit onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The Barney Circle Freeway, counted within the Interstate 295 mileage in the Federal Highway Administration's Route Log and Finder List, still exists as a route, but it seems to be permanently delayed, if not dead. Photo taken 06/02/03. Interstate 695 West Interstate 695 travels a viaduct between the northern terminus of Interstate 295 from the 11th Street Bridge and the junction with Interstate 395 in downtown Washington. The four-lane freeway defaults onto Interstate 395 southbound for Arlington and Northern Virginia. The right-hand lane serves Interstate 395 northbound underneath the National Mall to junction U.S. 50 (New York Avenue). Photo taken 09/25/04. Traffic to Interstate 395 northbound in the right-hand lane segregates from the Southeast Freeway mainline briefly before returning ahead of the directional interchange with Interstate 395. Drivers bound for the Convention Center or MCI Center should continue ahead to the 6th Street off-ramp from the Southwest Freeway (Interstate 395). Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 695 nears its western terminus at the partitioning of traffic for Interstate 395 north to the U.S. Capitol and Eckington and Interstate 395 south for East Potomac Park and Arlington. Photo taken 09/25/04. Downtown traffic interests should remain on Interstate 695 west to Interstate 395 south for the 6th Street and D Street off-ramps. Interstate 395 northbound truckers should be aware of the height restrictions associated with the National Mall tunnel between Independence Avenue (U.S. 50 Alternate) and Constitution Avenue. Photo taken 09/25/04. The South Capitol Street on-ramp to Interstate 695 west partitions into ramps for Interstate 395 north & D Street SW and Interstate 395 (Southwest Freeway) south. Interstate 695 west defaults onto Interstate 395 south ahead. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 695 draws to a silent end at the merge with Interstate 395 south. The Southwest Freeway carries Interstate 395 to the George Mason Memorial Bridge and Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River. Photo taken 09/25/04. Links For more background and other related information for Washington area highways, please see the Roads to the Future page by Scott Kozel. Page Updated April 20, 2005.